Sunday, February 28, 2016

Another Constitutional Right Abridged

In a recent ruling by the Wisconsin Supreme Court, it was determined that evidence seized in a person’s private home during a warrantless search can be used against the person under an expanded view of the “community caretaker” clause. They didn't even have to use that as precedent, since SCOTUS had already ruled warrantless search was allowed in 2014.

Not many people know that every one of the first ten amendments of the Constitution have already been abridged through Congressional legislation and SCOTUS rulings. The most egregious violations came recently with the so-called Patriot Act but the government has a long history of eviscerating the Bill of Rights. Some have been rationalized as necessary due to time of war, others reactions to espionage and liberal incremental change. On the surface, all the violations seem reasonable, but that was the purpose of the Bill of Rights -- to prevent those who would make agenda-driven excuses from being able to take individual rights away from the people.

Even though activist groups are always trying to re-establish lost rights, they have an uphill battle. There are so many rulings to fight, so much precedent to overturn, that even the most determined defenders are up against a formidable enemy that seems to be invulnerable.

We need to remember, the Bill of Rights does not define what the government allows. Its purpose is to forbid government taking away our inalienable rights. If we allow the continued violation of those basic rights, we have no one to blame but ourselves when the supposed republic that should represent the people becomes a totalitarian despot that oppresses us.

Speak up, work for your rights. No one else can do it for you. Government certainly won't.

The Commentator

I have been writing speculative fiction for over 40 years, but only
recently have I been able to pursue it full-time. After retiring from
my position as an air traffic controller, I decided to devote myself to
my writing, not realizing I was trading one stressful career for
another. Nevertheless, through my short fiction and novels, at least I
have an outlet for my obsession with the written word.